“O sire,” said Luqmán, “an unfaithful servant is not approved in the sight of God. 3590 گفت لقمان سیدا پیش خدا ** بنده‌‌ی خاین نباشد مرتضا
Put us all to the test, O noble sir: give us our fill of hot water (to drink), امتحان کن جمله‌‌مان را ای کریم ** سیرمان در ده تو از آب حمیم
And afterwards make us run into a great plain, thou being mounted and we on foot. بعد از آن ما را به صحرایی کلان ** تو سواره ما پیاده می‌‌دوان
Then behold the evil-doer, (behold) the things that are done by Him who revealeth mysteries!” آن گهان بنگر تو بد کردار را ** صنعهای کاشف الاسرار را
The master gave the servants hot water to drink, and they drank it in fear (of him). گشت ساقی خواجه از آب حمیم ** مر غلامان را و خوردند آن ز بیم
Afterwards he was driving them into the plains, and those persons were running up and down. 3595 بعد از آن می‌‌راندشان در دشتها ** می‌‌دویدندی میان کشتها
From distress they began to vomit: the (hot) water was bringing up the fruit from them. قی در افتادند ایشان از عنا ** آب می‌‌آورد ز یشان میوه‌‌ها
When Luqmán began to vomit from his navel (belly), there was coming up from within him (only) the pure water. چون که لقمان را در آمد قی ز ناف ** می‌‌برآمد از درونش آب صاف
Inasmuch as Luqmán's wisdom can show forth this, then what must be the wisdom of the Lord of existence! حکمت لقمان چو داند این نمود ** پس چه باشد حکمت رب الوجود
On the day when all the inmost thoughts shall be searched out, there will appear from you something latent, (the appearance of) which is not desired. يوم تبلی، السرائر کلها ** بان منکم کامن لا یشتهی
When they shall be given hot water to drink, all the veils will be cut asunder (torn off) from that which is abhorred. 3600 چون سقوا ماء حمیما قطعت ** جملة الأستار مما أفظعت
The fire (of Hell) is made the torment of the infidels because fire is the (proper) test for stones. نار از آن آمد عذاب کافران ** که حجر را نار باشد امتحان
How oft, how oft, have we spoken gently to our stony hearts, and they would not accept the counsel! آن دل چون سنگ را ما چند چند ** نرم گفتیم و نمی‌‌پذرفت پند
For a bad wound the vein gets (requires) a bad (severe) remedy: the teeth of the dog are suitable for the donkey's head. ریش بد را داروی بد یافت رگ ** مر سر خر را سزد دندان سگ
The wicked women to the wicked men is wisdom: the ugly is the mate and fitting (consort) for the ugly. الخبیثات الخبیثین حکمت است ** زشت را هم زشت جفت و بابت است
Whatever, then, you wish to mate with, go, become absorbed by it, and assume its shape and qualities. 3605 پس تو هر جفتی که می‌‌خواهی برو ** محو و هم شکل و صفات او بشو
If you wish for the light, make yourself ready to receive the light; if you wish to be far (from God), become self-conceited and far; نور خواهی مستعد نور شو ** دور خواهی خویش بین و دور شو
And if you wish (to find) a way out of this ruined prison, do not turn your head away from the Beloved, but bow in worship and draw nigh. ور رهی خواهی ازین سجن خرب ** سر مکش از دوست و اسجد و اقترب
The remainder of the story of Zayd (and what he said) in answer to the Prophet, on whom be peace. بقیه‌‌ی قصه‌‌ی زید در جواب رسول علیه السلام
This discourse hath no end. “Arise, O Zayd, and tie a shackle on the Buráq (steed) of thy rational spirit. این سخن پایان ندارد خیز زید ** بر براق ناطقه بر بند قید
Since the rational spirit exposes faults, it is rending the curtains of concealment. ناطقه چون فاضح آمد عیب را ** می‌‌دراند پرده‌‌های غیب را
Concealment is desired by God for awhile. Drive away this drummer, bar the road! 3610 غیب مطلوب حق آمد چند گاه ** این دهل‌‌زن را بران بر بند راه
Do not gallop, draw rein, ’tis better it (thy spirit) should be veiled; ’tis better that every one should be gladdened by his own fancy. تک مران در کش عنان مستور به ** هر کس از پندار خود مسرور به
God is wishing that even His despairing ones should not avert their faces (refrain) from this worship (of Him). حق همی‌‌خواهد که نومیدان او ** زین عبادت هم نگردانند رو
Even on the ground of a hope they become ennobled: for a few days (a short time) they are running at its stirrup (following Divine worship). هم به اومیدی مشرف می‌‌شوند ** چند روزی در رکابش می‌‌دوند
He wishes that that mercy should shine upon all, on the evil and the good, because of the universality of His mercy. خواهد آن رحمت بتابد بر همه ** بر بد و نیک از عموم مرحمه
God is wishing that every prince and captive should be hopeful and fearful and afraid. 3615 حق همی‌‌خواهد که هر میر و اسیر ** با رجا و خوف باشند و حذیر
This hope and fear are in the veil (separating the seen from the unseen), that they may be fostered behind this veil. این رجا و خوف در پرده بود ** تا پس این پرده پرورده شود
When thou hast rent the veil, where are fear and hope? The might and majesty belonging to the Unseen are divulged. چون دریدی پرده کو خوف و رجا ** غیب را شد کر و فری بر ملا
A young man on the bank of a river thought (to himself), “Our fisherman (here) is Solomon. بر لب جو برد ظنی یک فتا ** که سلیمان است ماهی‌‌گیر ما
(But) if this is he, why is he alone and disguised? And if not, why has he the aspect of Solomon?” گر وی است این از چه فرد است و خفی است ** ور نه سیمای سلیمانیش چیست
Thus thinking, he remained in two minds until Solomon (once more) became king and absolute ruler. 3620 اندر این اندیشه می‌‌بود او دو دل ** تا سلیمان گشت شاه و مستقل
The demon departed and fled from his (Solomon's) kingdom and throne: the sword of his fortune shed that devil's blood. دیو رفت از ملک و تخت او گریخت ** تیغ بختش خون آن شیطان بریخت
He put the ring upon his finger, the hosts of demons and peris assembled. کرد در انگشت خود انگشتری ** جمع آمد لشکر دیو و پری
The men came to look, amongst them he who had the fancy (that the fisherman was Solomon in disguise). آمدند از بهر نظاره رجال ** در میانشان آن که بد صاحب خیال
When he saw the ring on his finger, his perplexity and doubt vanished all at once. چون در انگشتش بدید انگشتری ** رفت اندیشه و تحری یک سری
Imagination occurs (only) at the time when that (object of desire) is hidden: this searching is after the unseen. 3625 وهم آن گاه است کان پوشیده است ** این تحری از پی نادیده است
Whilst he was absent, fancy waxed strong in his breast: as soon as he was present, his fancy departed. شد خیال غایب اندر سینه زفت ** چون که حاضر شد خیال او برفت
If the radiant sky is not without rain, neither is the dark earth without vegetation. گر سمای نور بی‌‌باریده نیست ** هم زمین تار بی‌‌بالیده نیست
(God said), “I want (what is signified by the words) they believe in the unseen: on that account I have shut the window of the fleeting world. يؤمنون بالغيب می‌‌باید مرا ** ز آن ببستم روزن فانی سرا
When (if) I cleave the sky manifestly, how should I say, ‘Dost thou see any clefts therein?’” چون شکافم آسمان را در ظهور ** چون بگویم هل تری فیها فطور
In order that in this darkness they may spread (the carpet of) endeavour, they are turning, every one, their faces in some direction. 3630 تا در این ظلمت تحری گسترند ** هر کسی رو جانبی می‌‌آورند
For awhile things are reversed: the thief brings the magistrate to the gallows, مدتی معکوس باشد کارها ** شحنه را دزد آورد بر دارها
So that many a sultan and man of lofty spirit becomes the slave of his own slave for awhile. تا که بس سلطان و عالی همتی ** بنده‌‌ی بنده‌‌ی خود آید مدتی
Service (performed) in absence (through faith in the unseen) is fair and comely; when service is demanded (by God from us), ‘tis pleasing (to Him) that the absent should be remembered (that we should remember to perform what is due to Him, though He is unseen). بندگی در غیب آید خوب و گش ** حفظ غیب آید در استعباد خوش
Where (in what position) is one that praises the king in his presence, compared with one that is shamefaced in absence (from him)? کو که مدح شاه گوید پیش او ** تا که در غیبت بود او شرم رو
The governor of a fortress who, on the border of the kingdom, far from the sultan and the shadow (protection) of the sultanate, 3635 قلعه داری کز کنار مملکت ** دور از سلطان و سایه‌‌ی سلطنت
Guards the fortress from enemies and will not sell it for boundless riches, پاس دارد قلعه را از دشمنان ** قلعه نفروشد به مال بی‌‌کران
Who, though absent from the king on the outskirt of the frontiers, keeps faith (with him) like one who is present— غایب از شه در کنار ثغرها ** همچو حاضر او نگه دارد وفا
He in the king's sight is better than the rest who are serving in his presence and ready to devote their lives. پیش شه او به بود از دیگران ** که به خدمت حاضرند و جان فشان
Therefore half an atom of regard to one's duty in absence is better than a hundred thousand fold observance thereof in presence. پس به غیبت نیم ذره‌‌ی حفظ کار ** به که اندر حاضری ز آن صد هزار